


Finding The Love In Goodbye

by DirtyLilGreaseMonkey



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, M/M, implied self harm, not sure these tags are true but you all know the story by now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 20:58:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5840761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DirtyLilGreaseMonkey/pseuds/DirtyLilGreaseMonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert begs Aaron to stay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding The Love In Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt - Aaron leaves in a couple of weeks. Robert stops Aaron before he leaves and begs him to stay Aaron says he just needs some time away and Roberts like how do I know you’ll come back and starts rambling about how much he loves him and Aaron kisses him to shut him up before replying with because I love you and they kiss again say goodbye before Aaron gets in the taxi starring at rob as he drives off
> 
> For my anon <3

 

Robert eyes burned with the need to sleep but he wasn’t ready to give in just yet. The day he had been dreading ever since Aaron confided in him was just beginning to break through. In a few short hours Aaron would be leaving. It had become an unspoken ritual ever since that night that they would stay together, Robert fighting off sleep for as long as possible to watch over Aaron. On the rare occasion he did spend the night back at his sisters he missed the hard wood of Aarons bedroom floor, not only that he missed Aaron in general and that was with him just a hundred yards away what would it be like when they would be miles apart. As his eyes began to fill with tears as he thought about what he would do tomorrow when Aaron actually did leave, the threat had been there for so long he wasn’t sure he’d go through with it until tonight. Aaron had explained to Robert on multiple nights when Robert had watched over him why he needed to get away but he still didn’t understand, not really. But that night before Aaron had closed his eyes they had talked about it once again, about Aarons need to clear his head and Robert had kept quiet but now as his eyelids began to droop in the early morning light he wished he’d plucked up the courage to ask him to stay.

*

Robert woke with a start his thoughts immediately turning to Aaron as he looked up to find his bed empty. He searched for his phone and squinting at the screen he groaned when he saw the time. He crawled up from the floor stretching out his back muscles as he frantically searched for any sign that Aaron had left yet. He sighed with relief when he noticed his black duffel back was still in the same position it had been the previous night. As he stared at the holdall the thought of hiding it flashed through his head but he dismissed it as soon as it came knowing that once Aarons mind was made up and from their conversation into the early hours of the morning Robert was pretty sure it was, there was no stopping him, but Robert wasn’t passed begging and that exactly what he planned to do next, he just had to dress first.

He rummaged through the small pile of his clothes that now resided at Aarons and dressed quickly. As he headed down the stairs he paused at the door to the back room, from the sounds coming from behind it he felt like he would be interrupting what was no doubt a very emotional goodbye. He could hear Chas telling Aaron how much she loved him and he knew if he didn’t move the tears that had been threatening to fall since last night would start just like Chas’ had on the other side of the door. He turned and was just about to step outside when he heard Aaron say name. His curiosity took hold as he listened to Aarons voice travel through the door.

“Look after Robert for me won't ya Mum.”

Chas’ answer was swallowed up by the space between them and her tears but he heard Aarons response and knew that whatever Chas had said Aaron was grateful. Maybe after all this time he’d finally proved to Aarons mum that he cared for her son, not only cared he loved him just like she did. Not wanting to intrude anymore on the private moment between mother and son he left the pub via the back door and found he needed the support of the brick wall as he sucked in deep breathes in an attempt to hold back his tears. He knew after what he just heard Aaron really was leaving and he couldn’t let that happen, he had to stop him.

He was so wrapped up in his own head that he jumped when he heard the back door slam.

“There you are,” Aaron sighed with relief; he knew he was leaving but he couldn’t go without saying goodbye to Robert.

“What’s up?” Aaron asked as they walked towards Robert his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.  
Robert stared at Aaron in disbelief.

“Taxi al be ere soon,” Aaron announced glumly when Robert still hadn’t opened his mouth dumping his bag into between them and turning to face Robert.

“Don’t go,” Robert begged with a whisper as he searched Aarons eyes for even the slightest ray of hope.

“I love you.”

“I know you do,” Aaron spewed automatically as he had done in response to Robert each time he’d uttered those three words since that night.

“Then let me take care of you,” Robert pleaded standing up a little straighter his hand reaching out for Aarons elbow.

“You have,” Aaron reminded him but Robert alone wasn’t enough anymore.

“Then why I you leaving?”

“I need to get out of here Robert please try and understand.”

“Then let me come with you,” Robert urged jumping towards him.

“You need to be here,” Aaron claimed.

”I don’t,” Robert cried,

“Aaron, I need to be with you.”

“You need to forget about me,” Aaron mumbled not really meaning it because even if Robert did forget about him he could never forget about Robert, the blonde had well and truly taken root in his heart.

“Forget……?” Robert ran his hand over his face in horror, he knew that Aaron was just trying to push him away but he still asked,

“Is that a joke?”

“You’d be better off without me,” Aaron assured him with a slight nod.

“How many times Aaron, no I wouldn’t, I need you, I love you,” and then the realisation dawned on him,

“This is it isn’t it? You’re breaking up with me.”

Aaron laughed sadly,

“Breaking up?”

They weren’t even together but even as he thought that he knew what Robert meant, they had practically spent every moment, both waking and none, together in the past few weeks since he divulged his dark past and he was grateful to Robert but he just needed some time alone.

“This isn’t about you Robert I need to do this, for me.”

“But….but I love you,” Robert cried.

“So you keep saying,” Aaron retorted at little harsher than he meant to but Robert didn’t seem to notice.

“And I’ll say it every single day if that what it takes Aaron please I’m begging please don’t go.”

“I need to Robert, just for a little while.”

Robert shook his head he was afraid to ask the next question but he couldn’t help himself.

“How do I know you’ll come back?”

“You don’t,” Aaron shrugged.

Robert looked at Aaron in shock stumbling back onto the wall for support.

“You’re not coming back are you?”

“I don’t know,” Aaron replied honestly because he didn’t know but he did know that he needed to sort his head out and he couldn’t do that in Emmerdale.

They both turned as they heard the sound of a car approaching and Robert knew he was running out of time.

“At least tell me where you’re going,” Robert begged as he heard the crunch of the gravel underneath the tyres of Aarons taxi as it drew closer.

“What so you can come and find me?” Aaron choked he knew saying goodbye was going to be tough but he didn’t think the prospect of leaving Robert would hit him this hard.

“No,” Robert whispered but they both knew that wasn’t true.

“I just need some time okay? Can you give me that?” Aaron asked he voice full of need.

Robert stared at Aaron, how was he supposed to answer that? He sighed in defeat as he realised there was no way of changing his mind so it was now or never. If he didn’t do it now he never would.

“I told you once that I could wait and I will, I will wait forever for you, you know that right?” Robert admitted laying his feelings out once and for all.

“I know,” Aaron replied his voice full of sadness and it was his turn to sob as he buried his head in Roberts chest inhaling deeply committing the scent of his Robert, because when it came down to it he was his, to his memory.

The sound of a car horn made them both jump but it was Aaron that pulled away knowing that if he stayed any longer he would never leave Roberts warm embrace and a big part of him didn’t want to so he decided to leave Robert with something he could hold on to.

“Rob, hey, look at me,” Aaron demanded.

Robert slowly opened his eyes and all he saw were Aarons deep blue eyes staring back at him and he watched as a single tears rolled down his cheek and he couldn’t resist reaching out to wipe it away with the pad of his thumb, his hand remaining on Aarons cheek as he closed his eyes again because the thought of having to watch Aaron walk away was just too painful.

“Go,” he whispered as he fought to hold back his tears, finally understanding that this wasn’t about him or them it was about Aaron and what he needed to do in order to survive.

“I……,” Robert started but before he could finish his words were stolen by Aaron as his mouth crashed into his.

His eyes flashed open briefly and it took him a moment to realise he wasn’t dreaming but as soon as he felt Aarons tongue swipe across his bottom lip his eyes fluttered shut while his lips parted welcoming Aaron in.

“What was that for?” Robert asked breathlessly when he felt Aaron pull away from him.

“I love you,” Aaron shrugged as if it was that simple.

Robert shook his head in disbelief,

“You……..”

“I love you Robert Jacob Sugden,” Aaron confessed as he closed the distance between them and with one rough hand on Roberts chin he angled his face down and kissed away his tears before his lips once again found Roberts.

The world fell away as he melted into Roberts strong arms, arms that had held him when he’d finally broken down, arms that had picked him back up again and told him everything was going to be alright, arms that he never wanted to leave but knew he had to in order to find his way back. With another blast of the horn Aaron broke the connection and with one last look back at the man he loved he pulled the heavy door open and slid into the back seat of the awaiting taxi

“Drive,” Aaron managed to croak out before his tears over spilled his eyes.

Robert watched in earnest as the taxi pulled down Main Street. The only thing stopping him from running after it was the last words Aaron said to him. After more than a year he’d finally heard the words he’d been waiting for, Aaron Livesy loved him. He bit back a smile as he let the words sink in, however hard the next few weeks or months would be without him he knew that those three little words would see him through it.

With tears in his eyes Aaron looked back over his shoulder to find Robert stood in the middle of the road his eyes glued to the car and the half smile on Roberts face was the last thing Aaron saw as the taxi pulled out of the village. It was that image that would keep him fighting against all odds to return. For the man he loved. For himself. For Robert.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, always open for prompts, find me on tumblr - starkidsarah


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